The video has not been independently verified, but a Google Maps search of the Palu Grand Mall and Baiturrahman Mosque appears to match the landscape and landmarks in the footage, The Jakarta Post reports.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Indonesia had declared a tsunami warning after the strongest quake, which registered magnitude 7.5, but lifted it about half an hour later.

It was followed by numerous strong aftershocks including one of magnitude 6.7.

Disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said in a live TV interview that the tsunami hit Palu, which is the capital of central Sulawesi province, and a smaller city, Donggala.

A little boy walks in front of a collapsed house after a 6.1 magnitude earthquake hit in Donggala in Indonesia earlier today (Picture: EPA)

A tsunami has hit the Indonesian cities of Palu and Donggala following a 7.5 magnitude earthquake (Picture: EPA)

He said houses were swept away and families were reported missing. Communications to the area are disrupted.

‘The cut to telecommunications and darkness are hampering efforts to obtain information,’ he said. ‘All national potential will be deployed, and tomorrow morning we will deploy Hercules and helicopters to provide assistance in tsunami-affected areas.’

Palu’s airport halted operations for 24 hours due to earthquake damage, according to AirNav, which oversees airline traffic in Indonesia.

Central Sulawsi was hit earlier Friday by a magnitude 6.1 earthquake that based on preliminary information killed one person, injured 10 and damaged dozens of houses.